Hundreds Turn Out for Town Hall Meeting Following Fire

Amid the tragedy and confusion that has ensued since Thursday's fire and gas explosion in the Glenview Drive area, about 600 people crowded into St. Robert's Church Saturday as city leaders attempted to answer questions and allowed people to vent their concerns.

Officials addressed one of the biggest concerns that residents have raised so far—when people will be allowed to return to their homes—and said residents whose homes have been affected will be allowed to return as early as noon Sunday.

Crews have tagged the homes with green, yellow and red labels—red meaning the home was destroyed, yellow meaning people can enter their homes but can't stay, and green meaning people can return and stay in their homes. Officials will announce Sunday how the reentry process will work.

Above all, officials confirmed at the meeting that four people have died—although only three people have been identified—five people are still missing and about 271 homes have been affected, with 58 homes completely destroyed.

"It's hard to believe that less than 48 hours ago, we as a community were probably getting ready to sit down to watch the first NFL game or were preparing dinner or perhaps were getting ready for a Back to School night," Mayor Jim Ruane told the audience. "In a split second, in a flash, our lives were changed forever. Some were lost."

Although the fire has left families devastated, Ruane said, he thanked those who have helped with the response and relief efforts, especially the first responders. Audience members followed that praise by getting up out of their seats and uniting in a roar of applause.

While people will be allowed to return to their homes, officials warned of a few precautions. Water, gas and electricity will be restored to all homes that didn't suffer any damage. However, landline phone service will likely continue to be out for possibly a week. Streetlights also may not completely work.

Residents will be asked to provide identification and will receive wristbands as they arrive back in the neighborhood. If people lost their identification in the fire, officials said, assistance would be provided at Veterans Memorial Center so that people can return home.

A representative of PG&E said crews have only been able to gain access to portions of its three transmission lines on the Peninsula. Of those areas that were checked, the representative said, PG&E is expected to complete a full inspection by 9pm today. Work continues on the remaining sections of the transmission lines.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier said she is trying to get the federal government to declare a state of emergency in San Bruno so that the city can access federal funds to help with the restoration process. She added that while the National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the explosion, which could take up to 18 months, she is requesting that the agency give frequent updates on the status of the investigation.

People raised questions about security in the area, possible health impacts, how to pick up mail, garbage collection, trauma counseling, the status of their cars, insurance, cleanup efforts and how property values will be affected. The city's website has much of that information listed, and people can call 650-616-7180 for more information. San Bruno Patch is also working on compiling a list of resources for people with questions.

Someone even asked whether the city, which is facing budget cuts, would go broke after responding to the fire. Officials said the city would be reimbursed for all costs related to the explosion.

Ruane said the city is planning to hold a special meeting just for the people whose homes were either destroyed or damaged. The details will be announced soon.